Double Eagle II Sustainability

Double Eagle II Sustainability

The City of Albuquerque is committed to sustainability and green building practices. The new airfield maintenance facility at Double Eagle II was awarded LEED Gold certification in 2011 for its achievements in sustainability. It was the City’s first Green Path Program public project. The Green Path Program encourages, and facilitates, voluntary design and construction of energy efficient buildings that substantially exceed code minimum. Only the most energy efficient buildings meet Green Path criteria.

LEED Certification

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) was founded in 1993 as a non-profit, consensus based committee organization with a mission to transform the building industry into sustainability. The USGBC’s core purpose is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling a socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. The USGBC is also the administrator of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System, which started in 1999.

The LEED Rating System was developed as a format for benchmarking what can be constituted as “green building”. LEED addresses sustainable design criteria under six main categories: (1) sustainable sites, (2) water efficiency, (3) energy and atmosphere, (4) materials and resources, (5) indoor environmental quality, and (6) innovation in design.

The airfield maintenance facility achieved 47 points overall, in the following categories:

Sustainable Sites

SSc4.2: Alternative Transportation for Bikes—Double Eagle has provided a bike rack and showering facility giving occupants an opportunity to commute to work via bike.

SSc4.3/4.4: Alternative Transportation for Low Emitting and Fuel Efficient Vehicles, Parking Capacity—Double Eagle has set aside preferred parking for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles and for carpool with the intent of promoting conscientious transportation to this facility and reduce the carbon footprint of building occupants.

SSc5.1 & 5.2 Protect or Restore Habitat/Open Space—Double Eagle has set aside land as open space and vegetated the land with native vegetation. This in turn, helps reduce the need for water as this native vegetation already responds to the typical waterfall in its native landscape.

SSc6.1/6.2: Stormwater Design—This project reduces water pollution by reducing the contaminants leaving the site and removing pollutants from stormwater runoff. All stormwater leaving the Double Eagle site will flow through 4 major retention ponds that allow the water to be naturally treated and stored to avoid unhealthy runoff to streams in large storm events.

Water Efficiency

WEc1: Water Efficiency—The landscape design of native vegetation includes mainly drought tolerant plants and will not require the use of potable water.

WEc3: Water Use Reduction—Use of dual-flush toilets, low flow urinals, and aerators on faucets contributes to an overall water savings of 38% over the standard water fixtures used in a similar building per ASHRAE 90.1-2004

Energy and Atmosphere

EAc4: Enhanced Refrigerant Management—Ozone (O3), a naturally-formed gas, is an atmospheric layer that regulates UV radiation that reached Earth from the sun. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) release chlorine atoms near the ozone and convert them to O2, reducing the ozone later. Double Eagle uses no CFCs and reduce other harmful ozone depleting compounds in all refrigeration used in the cooling equipment for the buildings heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

EAc6: Green Power—Double Eagle will purchase 35% (or 70% for an ID credit depending on owner decision) green power. This green power purchase encouraged the development and use of grid-source renewable energy technologies.

Materials and Resources

MRc2: Construction Waste Management—Over 50% OR 75% of the construction waste from Double Eagle was diverted from the landfill and recycled. This includes scrap metal, plastics, paper, cardboard, and other building materials.

MRc4: Recycled Content—Over 20% of the building materials used to build Double Eagle were made of post-consumer o post-industrial recycled content reducing the impact resulting from extraction and processing of virgin materials.

MRc5: Local and Regional Materials—Over 20% of building materials used on Double Eagle were extracted, processed, and manufactured regionally within 500 miles of the site. This supports local economies and encourages the use of indigenous resources reducing environmental impacts from transportation.

Indoor Environmental Quality

EQc4: Low Emitting Materials—Odorous, irritating and harmful air contaminants have been reduced in the building by using low volatile organic compounds for all adhesives, sealants, paint, and coatings and utilizing only green label plus carpet and composite wood free of urea-formaldehyde. The reduction of these harmful contaminants creates a healthy environment for occupants.

EQc8.1 and 8.2: Views for 90% of Spaces—Core and shell building design is such that tenants will have views from 90% of spaces and over 50% of the spaces are daylight to a ambient level equal to typical fixtures

Green Cleaning Program

Double Eagle will implement a green cleaning program that utilizes strategies to reduce harmful chemical infiltration through cleaning creating a healthier environment for both cleaning crews and occupants.